Gas burning hot air heater



March 9, 1965 Filed March 12. 196

R. T. HANGER ETAL GAS BURNING HOT AIR HEATER I40\ I21? 1 I25 I 26 a i 44 42 11' {28 A H l: i N H 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIs 3 62 I25 |48 l44 I24 I52 FIe 5 RANDOLPH T. HANGER MARK L. PETERSON INVENTOR.

TIA) Q: ma i United States Patent Filed Mar. 12, 1962, Ser. No. 178,881 1 Claim. (Cl. 12685) This invention relates to a heater and, more particularly, to a small heater having an upright combustion chamber, a means for drawing fresh air into the chamber from the outside, and a protective casing for the heater so as to preclude a person burning himself.

There is a need for a small economical heater in the range of 4000-1 0,000 B.t.u.s per hour. For example, in trailers, cabins and boats a small heater is used to take off the chill and also to supply considerable heat. Such a heater can use a fluid such as gas under pressure or natural gas or manufactured gas. These heaters can be made to be both small in appearance and attractive to the eye. To the best of our knowledge we do not know of such a heater and therefore have invented this heater to fill this need. More particularly, we have provided a heater which is small in overall dimension; it is safe to use, as the combustion chamber itself is insulated from the protective and decorative casings; it is adapted to operate on a gaseous fluid; it is in the range of output capacity of approximately 4000l0,000 B.t.u.s per hour; it is devised to have an inlet for air coming from the outside of the building or space to be heated and also to provide for the exhaust of the combustion products to the outside of the building; it has means for mixing the combustion gases so as to insure more complete combustion; and, it is economical both to manufacture and to use.

These and other important advantages and objects will be more particularly brough forth by reference to the drawings, the detailed specification of the heater and the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the invention with the protective screen broken away so as to more particularly bring forth the position of the upright combustion chamber and the controls for the burning of the fuel;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical lateral cross-sectional view illustrating the upright combustion chamber, the controls in the bottom of the chamber, the inlet to the chamber and the outlet from the chamber, and the protective casing for the chamber;

FIGURE 3 is a lateral horizontal cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIGURE 2 and illustrates the combustion chamber, the exhaust outlet from the chamber, the sheet metal bracket in back of the chamber to provide an air pocket, and the protective casing around the combustion chamber;

FIGURE 4, taken on line 44 of FIGURE 2, is a lateral cross-sectional view looking down on the baflle in the combustion chamber; and,

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIGURE 2 and is looking into the combustion chamber through the exhaust outlet therefor.

Referring to the drawings, it is seen that the invention comprises a heater having a combustion chamber 12. The combustion chamber 12 comprises a cylindrical tube 14, an exchange cap 16 having a circumscribing lip 1-8 at the top of the combustion chamber and a bottom ex change cap 20 having a circumscribing lip 22. The bottom exchange cap 20 is joined to the combustion chamber 14 by means of a pin or a screw 24.

In the lower part of the cylindrical chamber 14 there is an opening 26. And, a cylindrical inlet tube 28 leads through this opening into the interior of the chamber 14.

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On the outer part of the tube 28 there is a circumscribing flange 30. The tube 28 may be welded to the cylindrical side wall 14 so as to securely position the same.

In the upper part of the chamber 14 there is an opening 32. In this opening there is positioned a cylindrical exhaust outlet tube 34. The inner part of the tube 34, i.e., that part inside of the chamber 14, has a circumscribing flange 36. At approximately the middle of the combustion chamber 14 and approximately midway between the inlet tube 28 and the outlet tube 34 there is a baflle 38. This baffle 38 is at substantially right angles to the walls of the cylindrical chamber 14 and extends approximately of the way, diametrically speaking, from one wall to the other side of the wall. This baflle has a depending flange 40 and which flange is welded to the side wall 14 of the combustion chamber.

In the bottom of the combustion chamber 12 and extending through the bottom exchange cap 20 are the burner 42 and the pilot burner 44. The burner 42 is in close proximity to the inlet tube 28. This assists in assuring proper mixing between the burner gas and the air. On the underneath side of the lower exchange cap 20 and in close proximity to the burner 42 there is an insulator ring 46. Likewise, on the underneath side of the lower exchange cap 20 and in close proximity to the pilot burner tube 44- there is an insulator ring 48. The burner 42 and the pilot 44 connect with a control unit 50. This control unit has a control valve or knob 52. The control unit 50 also connects with an inlet tube 54. The inlet 54 is externally threaded, and a sleeve 56 is screwed on to this inlet 54 so as to position the sleeve with respect to the casing surrounding the combustion chamber 12. The casing has not been described to date. The control 50 is conventional and may be purchased in commercial channels.

The combustion chamber 12 is encompassed in a protective and decorative casing. The casing is in the configuration of a rectangular box having an open front. More particularly, this casing comprises a bottom 60, a back wall 62, two side walls 64, and a top 66. The bottom 60 may have a lip 68 for lapping over the bottom of the back wall 62. The lip 68 may be tack welded to the wall 62. Likewise, the top wall 66 may have a downwardly directed lip '70 for fitting over the upper part of the back wall 62. The lip 70 may be tack welded to the back wall 62. The bottom wall 60 is connected to the lower exchange cap 20 of the combustion chamber by means of a bracket 74. Sides 64 flare outwardly at 76 and then bend forwardly at 78 and fold back on themselves at 80 to provide a guide.

Attached to the upper wall 66 and at about the center of the forward face thereof, there is a retainer'82. This retainer connects with the upper trim mold 84. The trim 84 has a back face 86 which curves into a top member 88 and an outwardly projecting trim face 90. The trim positions and hold a decorative and protective screen 92. The trim 80 extends from the top to the bottom of the casing. The screen 92 does not extend all the way from the top to the bottom, but extends practically all the way and down from the top to approximately the level of the pilot burner in the combustion chamber, see FIGURE 1. At this height there is a swinging door 100. This door comprises a rod 102. Folded around this rod 102 is the upper part 104 of the door. Then, the fold bends downwardly and inwardly into a panel 106 and then into a downwardly directed body member 108. At the lower part of the body member 108, the member is directed outwardly into a panel 110 and then inwardly at 112. The pin 102 may be tack welded to the trim mold member 80. Then, the door revolves on the pin 102.

In the lower part of the combustion tube 14, and that exhaust pipe 136.

part facing the front of the casing or the door 100, there is an opening 114. Overlying this opening is a door 116. The door 116 is pinned at 118 to the tube 14. The purpose of this opening and door is obvious in that in order to light the pilot burner there must be provided an entrance to the interior of the combustion chamber. To do this the door 100 is rotated upwardly around the pin 102. Then the door 116 is rotated to one side and the pilot light 44 is ignited.

In the back of the protective casing, there is provided a false partition. This partition comprises a main wall member 120 and two side walls 122. In FIGURE 3 it is seen that the side walls 122 extend substantially to the screen 92. A divider 72 is positioned between the wall member 120 and the back wall 62. This divider has two right angle flanges 124, one at each side. These flanges 124 are welded to the inside of the side walls 64.

Brackets 125 are welded to the front face of the divider.

72. Screws 127 attach the main wall member to the bracket 125. Also, the wall member 120 bends into a hood 126 which slopes upwardly and forwardly. The wall member 129 and the side members 122 do not extend to the bottom of the protective casing but extend somewhat below the combustion chamber 14. In this manner there is provided a heat protective shield between the combustion chamber and the protective casing so that a person will not get burned when touching the casing. In the wall 120 and in alignment with the opening 32 in the wall 14 and an opening 129 in the wall 72, there is an opening 128. The outlet exhaust tube 34 passes through the opening 128 and may be tack Welded to the wall structure around this opening. In the back wall 62 of the casing there is an opening 130 and which opening is aligned with the openings 32, 128 and 129. However, as is seen in FIGURE 2, the opening 130 is larger than the openings 32 and 128; In the opening 130 there is placed a tube or a nipple having a cylindrical portion 132 and a circular flange 134. The exhaust tube 34 passes into, and may pass through, the nipple 132. Also, the exhaust tube 34 may connect with the chimney In actual usage, the nipple 132 connects or fits into wall member 138. The wall member 138 may be the exterior wall in a trailer or a cabin or a boat and the like.

The divider 72 is spaced from the back wall 62 by means of brackets 139. These brackets may be Welded to 62 and 72. The wall 14 of the combustion tube is secured to the main wall member 120 by means of brackets. These brackets comprise a base member 140, a leg 142 and another leg 144. The leg 142 is attached tothe main wall member 120 and the bracket 125 by means of the screw 127. On the outside of the combustion tube there are welded two flanges having a base 146 and an outwardly directed ear 148. The ear 144 is connected to the ear 148 by means of a screw 150, In this manner 4 the combustion chamber 12 is positioned orative and protective casing.

It is seen that the divider 72, in conjunction with the back wall 62 and the side walls 64, create an air pocket 152. The inlet to this air pocket 152 is through the inlet tube 132. Air from the outside of the trailer or the cabin or the boat or the like enters through the inlet tube 132, passes down into the pocket 152, then through the inlet tube 28 into the interior of the-combustion chamber 12. The air pocket 152 in itself functions as an insulator for the combustion chamber, Further, it is seen that there is heating or warming effect on the incoming air. As a result, there is realized a greater heating efficiency.

Having presented ourinvention, what we claim is:

A heater, said heater comprising an upright combustion chamber, an outer casing surrounding the combustion chamber; said outer casing having a decorative and within the decprotective screen as the front wall thereof, said outer casing also having a back wallyan upright divider wall between the, combustion chamber and the back wall of the outer casing defining a gaseous pocket; a heat shield between the combustion chamber and the divider Wall; side flanges on the combustion chamber disposed on the lateral side extremities thereof and extending lengthwise of the upright combustion chamber; upper and lower mounting elements on each flange secured to the heat shield and to the divider wall thereby fixing the relative position of the divider wall, the heat shield and the combustion chamber, said'heat'shield extending around the sides of the combustion chamber. beyond the side flanges thereon substantially to the front of the heat-er, said heat shield extending over the, top of the combustion chamber and substantially to the front of the heater; a first set of alignediopenings in the lower part of the combustion chamber andthe heat shield and the'divider wall; a tube in the first set of aligned openings connecting the gaseous pocket and the combustion chamber; a burner in the lower part of the. combustion chamber; a second set of aligned openings in the upper part of the combustion chamber and the heat shield and the divider wall and the back Wall; a tube in the second set of aligned openings to function as an exhaust outlet; and a bafile means in the combustion chamber between the first set of aligned openings and the second set of aligned openings.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,755,794 7/56 Wendell; 3,056,397 10/62 Little 126-85 3,064,638 11/62 Bauer -85- JAMES W. WESTHAVER, Primary Examiner.

FREDERICK L. MATTESON, 111., PERCY L. PAT- RICK, FREDERICK KETTERER, Examiners, 

